CONCEPTUAL ASPECTS OF

WAR
Dr. Rinchonwon Duidang AGURCHAND MANMULL JAIN COLLEGE
Department of Defence and Strategic Studies (SHIFT – II)
A.M. Jain College
1st Semester Meenambakkam, Chennai – 600 114
UNIT I: INTRODUCTION
 A: DEFINITION AND MEANING OF
DEFENCE AND STRATEGIC STUDIES
 MEANING AND DEFINITION OF DEFENCE AND STRATEGIC STUDIES
Defence and Strategic Study is an interdisciplinary
(relating to more than one branch of knowledge) academic
field centered on the study of conflict (dispute, quarrel)
and peace strategies, after devoting special attention to
the relationship between international politics, geo-
strategy (relating to the strategy required in dealing with
geopolitical problems), international diplomacy (the art of
dealing with people in a sensitive and tactful way),
international economics and military power.

The academic foundation of the subject began with

classes texts initially from the orient (the countries in the
East especially East Asia) such as Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”
and went on to gain an European focus on Clausewitz’s
“On War“
 RELEVANCE AND SIGNIFICANCE
• Defence and Strategic Study expose the individuals to an in-
depth analysis of contemporary events and issues in this
multilateral (having several groups), unpredictable (unsure)
world.

• This study provide theoretical understanding of how and why

Nations behave as they do and also a historical survey of the
major trends in the world.

• Pertaining to India: it also includes an understanding of Indian

military history, the defence organisations of India, India’s
National Security and the economics of Defence.
 RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER DISCIPLINES OF STUDY
• Defence /National Security Studies as a
discipline has a wider connotation (hidden
meaning) and even spread out to inter
disciplinary subjects - be it Humanities,
Languages, Science, Management,
Governance and Leadership.
CONT.
• The approach to the study in the discipline is interdisciplinary
as the subject broadly covers military history, war, national
security studies, international relations, peace and conflict
studies, international terrorism, defence economics, military
psychology/sociology and other aspects related to military or
security of the nation and as such encompasses (covers) such
aspects like geopolitics (politics, especially international
relations, as influenced by geographical factors) and military
geography, science and technology, economics of defence,
conflict management and conflict resolution, etc.
CONT.
• Security needs to be understood in its entirety with strategic and
non strategic overtones. Security is complimentary to the
development of a nation while development processes in
developing countries suffer due to incomprehension (failure to
understand something) of security issues.

• The security dimension (size/scope) has a unique dynamics

(effective) – it starts with human security and goes unendingly to
national and international level. Assessing human security
stretches from personal security to the very basic need of societal
obligations whereby security gambit (plan) is so essentially
required.
 B: WAR: DEFINITION AND
MEANING AND BASIC CONCEPTS
 WHAT IS WAR
War: War is a state (condition) of armed conflict (fight, armed struggle) between states,
governments, societies and informal paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents and
militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, aggression (invasion), destruction
and mortality (death), using regular or irregular military forces.
Mercenaries: hired/paid soldiers
Insurgency: it is defined as an act of rebellion and
armed struggle by a section of society with a view
to overthrow the government. The important
factor here is that invariably, there is public
support for the insurgents.
Militias: a military force that engages in rebel or
terrorist activities in opposition to a regular army
Terrorism: it is the planned, organised and
systematic use of violence as a means of coercion
(force) for political, religious and ideological
purposes

War can be said to be the oldest of

arts
 Can war be taught ?
It can be taught but only as an
art; based on theory.
History is the base of study
 According to international law, war, in
principle (truth), can only take place
War is a means of achieving an end, a between sovereign (supreme) political
weapon which can be used for good entities, that is, States. War is thus a
or for bad purposes. Some of these means for resolving differences
purposes for which was has been between units of the highest order of
political organization.
used have been accepted by
humanity as worthwhile ends: indeed Von Clausewitz defined war as “an act of
war performs functions which are violence intended to compel our
essential in any human society. It has opponents to fulfil our will”
been used to settle disputes, to
uphold (support) rights to remedy Total war: Total war is a warfare that is not
(treatment, solution) wrongs; and restricted to purely legitimate (recognized)
these are surely function which must military targets, and can result in massive
civilian or other non-combatant suffering and
be served. casualties.
Strategic Bombing: A military strategy Tactical Bombing: Tactical bombing’s
used in Total war with the goal of purpose is immediate. Hurt the enemy by
defeating the enemy by destroying its destroying their equipment, supplies,
morale (confidence, spirit), economic and killing their troops. These attacks are
ability to produce or manufacture intended to degrade an enemy’s ability to
weapons, fuel and other equipment engage in battle in the short term by
needed to wage (conduct, execute) war. attacking forces at or near the front lines.
 CATEGORIZATION OF WAR
Proxy War: a war fought between groups or smaller countries that each represent the interests of other
larger powers, and may have help and support from them. Eg. During the cold war; The Korean War, the
Vietnam War

Civil War: Civil war is a violent conflict between a state and one or more organized non-state (In
international relations, non-state actors are individuals or groups that hold influence and which are wholly
or partly independent of a sovereign state or state) actors in the state’s territory. It can also be defined as
a war between opposing groups of citizens of the same country. Eg. The American Civil War, Yemen Civil
War

Limited War:A limited war is broadly defined as a war that is fought for ends far short of the complete
subordination (submission) of one state’s will to another’s and by means involving far less than the total
military resources of the belligerents, leaving the civilian life and the armed forces of the belligerents
(hostile, a nation or person engaged in war or conflict) largely intact and leading to a bargained
(agreement) termination. Eg. Korean War 1950-1953, Falklands War 1982
 CONT…
Difference between Total War and Limited War:
In Total War, one state tries to occupy and conquer
another where the entire society is mobilized for the
struggle. Total War aims at total victory over the
opponents social, political and military
establishments.
In Limited War, the military actions of a state are to
gain some objectives which are short of total
surrender of the enemy or territorial occupation.
Characteristics of Limited War
 CONT…
Chemical and Biological war: Chemical and biological warfare is the term
used to describe the use of chemical and biological agents as weapons to
injure or kill humans, livestock or plants.

According to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical weapons

(OPCW), A Chemical Weapon is a chemical used to cause intentional
death or harm through its toxic properties. Eg. nerve agents, blood
agents, vesicant (blistering agents), chocking agents, riot-control agents
(tear gas), toxins (poisons produced by animals or plants). Eg: use of Sarin
in the Syrian War.
Biological Warfare: UN define Biological warfare as the use of any living
organisms (viruses, bacteria) or an infective component (toxin), to cause
disease or death in humans, animals or plants. Eg: smallpox, plague,
Hepatitis A, anthrax (a serious bacterial disease of sheep and cattle,
affecting the skin and lungs). Eg: smallpox was used as a Biological
Weapon several times during the colonisation of the Americas— the
American Revolutionary War
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC): is also called as Convention on the Prohibition of the
Development, Production, Stockpiling and use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction. The
convention was drafted on 3 September 1992 and opened for signature on 13 January 1993. It became
effective from 29 April 1997.
Biological Weapons Convention (BWC): The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is the first multilateral
(agreed upon or participated in by three or more parties) disarmament (laying down of arms/weapons,
arms, weapons reduction) treaty banning the development, production and stockpiling of an entire
category of weapons of mass destruction. It was opened for signature on 10 April 1972 and entered into
force on 26 March 1975.
CAMPAIGN
The term Campaign is derived from the Latin word
campania, meaning “open field; plain; level
countryside.”

In war, a campaign involves employment of military

forces in a series of related military operations to
accomplish a common objective in a given time and
space.

In a war, a campaign is a series of planned

movements carried out by armed forces.

A military campaign denotes (indicate) the time

during which a given military force conducts combat
(battle, fight) operations in a given area. A single
season military activity, commonly about three
months, is a campaign. A campaign can include
several multi-week operations that can be strategic
(planned) and/or operational in scale and scope.
 CONDUCT OF CAMPAIGN
1. Planning: Where the General define objectives, time, scope
(extent) and cost of the campaign.
2. Executing: the coordination of forces and resources in logistic
(the activity of organizing the movement, equipment and
accommodation of troops) and combat operation
3. Controlling: the monitoring of the progress of the campaign when
compared to its baseline (starting point used for comparison) plan
4. Concluding: acceptance or rejection of the campaign outcomes
by the directing command structure.
 BATTLE
A BATTLE IS A MILITARY
CONFLICT (DISPUTE,
QUARREL) BETWEEN TWO OR
MORE ARMED FORCES THAT
ARE WELL DEFINED IN
DURATION, AREA, AND FORCE
COMMITMENT (DEDICATION,
FAITHFULNESS).
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BATTLE AND WAR
 STRATEGY AND TACTICS
Strategy: The term is derived from the Greek word for generalship or leading an army. Strategy is a method or
plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem. It defines
your long term goals and how you are planning to achieve them. It is also about success in the long term not
about success in the moment

Tactics: Tactics is derived from ancient Greek meaning art of arrangement. Tactics are the specific actions or
steps undertaken to accomplish your strategy. It is a means by which a strategy is carried out.

Examples
1. In a war, a nation’s strategy might be to win the
heart’s and minds of the opponent’s civilian
population. To achieve this they could use tactics
such as radio broadcasts or building hospitals
2. Election: to win or gain political power, people use
tactics such as visitations, donations or other
ways
3. A personal strategy might be to get into a
particular career, where your tactics might
include choosing your educational path, seeking
out a helpful mentor/coach.
 STRATEGY AND TACTICS
Difference between Strategy and Tactics
In military usage, strategy denotes the overall planning of
operations, while tactics applies to the deployment of troops in
battle, contributing toward the achievement of a larger strategy.
Strategy denotes planning, usually long-term, toward a major goal
while tactics refers to the adoption of plans in response to a more
immediate problem.
Strategy describes the destination and how you are going to get
there and tactics describe the specific actions you are going to take
along the way
Tactics are the actual means used to gain an objective, while strategy
is the overall campaign plan which may involve complex
(complicated) operational patterns, activity and decision-making
that govern tactical (actions carefully planned, calculated)
execution.
Strategy and Tactics are complementary (harmonizing, twin). Neither
works well without the other
“Strategy without Tactics is the lowest route to victory. Tactics
without Strategy are the noise before defeat.”— Sun Tzu
 SECURITY AND DEFENCE
Security is the state of being free from
What is Security?? danger or threat.
“Security is taken to be about the pursuit of freedom from National Security is included in security
threat and the ability of states and societies to maintain their studies of any nations. There are various
types of security. Eg. Military security or
independent identity and their functional integrity (honour) traditional security, non-traditional
against forces of change, which they see as hostile. The security.
bottom line of security is survival, but it also reasonably
includes a substantial (considerable, important ) range of
concerns about the conditions of existence.”— Barry Buzan
Security is multidimensional in nature and diverse in practice

Questions which needs to be pondered:

Security for whom ?
Security for which values ?
How much Security is required ?
From what threats ?
By what means ?
At what costs ?
In what time period ?
 SECURITY AND DEFENCE
What is Defence??
Defence means the use of defensive (protective) tactics that seeks to negate (make ineffective)
enemy’s offensive (threatening, attacking) tactics.
It is the act or process of forbidding (block, stop) an enemy from conquering territory. It involves the
use of weapons such as artillery guns, tanks and airplanes in war or battle to defend a certain
stronghold (fortress).

Dictionary: the action of defending from or resisting attack